Beyond the Headlines: Who’s Actually Taking Action?

Banks talk a lot about diversity and inclusion, but which institutions are actually moving the needle on diversity in banking and finance? While most people assume the sector is slow to change, the reality might surprise you—some banks are setting bold diversity targets, increasing Black and ethnic minority leadership, and even publishing ethnicity pay gap data.

If you’re looking for a bank that’s serious about racial justice, here’s what the numbers say.

💼 UBS: Raising the Bar on Transparency

📈 Target: 26% ethnic minority representation at Director level and above by 2025.
🎯 Achievement: 24.3% as of 2023. Black external hires rose from 12.6% in 2022 to 16.4% in 2023.
📊 Transparency: One of the only banks publishing its ethnic minority pay gap data for three consecutive years.
🤝 Commitment: Signed onto the Race at Work Charter.
📅 Opportunities: Insight days for first-year Black Heritage students.

💡 What Makes UBS Different? Unlike most firms that hide pay gap data, UBS is putting the numbers out there—because transparency drives accountability.

🌍 HSBC: The Trailblazer in Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting

📈 Target: Double Black senior leaders by 2025.
🎯 Achievement: 62% increase in Black senior leaders since 2020—on track to double by 2024.
📊 Transparency: HSBC doesn’t just report a general ethnicity pay gap—it breaks it down into Asian, Black, Mixed Race, and Other Ethnic Minority groups.
🤝 Commitment: Signed onto the Race at Work Charter & Change the Race Ratio Statement.
📅 Opportunities: Insight days for first-year Black Heritage students.

💡 What Makes HSBC Different? They pioneered ethnicity pay gap transparency, setting a new industry standard for how diversity data should be reported.

📊 Barclays: Ambitious Targets, Gradual Progress

📈 Target: 21% ethnic minority employees in the US & 50% more Black leaders by 2025.
🎯 Achievement: UK ethnic minority representation grew from 4% in 2020 to 5.1% in 2023.
📊 Transparency: Publishing ethnicity pay gap data since 2021.
🤝 Commitment: Signed onto the Race at Work Charter & If Not Now, When? Black Inclusion in the UK.

💡 What Makes Barclays Different? Their global strategy—they’re taking a cross-market approach to increasing Black and ethnic minority leadership in both the UK and US.

🔍 What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re a student or graduate looking for a bank that backs up its diversity talk with action, these three banks are leading the way.

Want to find more racially inclusive workplaces? Windō helps you:
✅ Compare company policies on racial equity & diversity.
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📌 The Future of Banking is Diverse: Progress is happening—but the real impact comes when more diverse talent enters the industry.